


take a break, before you break

by grootmorning



Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: Clarice will get him to do it by persuasion or by force, F/M, John really needs a break but he won't take it, Porn With Plot, sexy times under the moonlight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-15 13:55:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13032579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grootmorning/pseuds/grootmorning
Summary: Clarice can see John really needs a break. Clarice can also see that she needs a date night. Why can't they both be the same thing?





	take a break, before you break

John looked up from his notes even as Clarice barged into his tiny study. A paper or two slipped from his hand and he mentally groaned at the effort it would require him to bend over and pick them up. Normally, he wouldn't complain, but today had been an exceptionally long day. And he wasn't up for it right now.

Clarice stood in front of him, one arm cocked on a hip, smiling at him, “Come on, big brave leader. Even you have to take a break some time.”

John absently lifted an arm, as if to draw her to him before thinking twice of it. He knew once he lost focus, it would be hard to get it back. Dropping the arm into his lap, he shook his head. “I have to get these reports done by tomorrow otherwise there might not be any chance of relief supplies coming our way anytime soon.”

“Tomorrow is still a few hours away, you can spare one, yeah?” The distance between them shortened as Clarice edged closer sneakily. “You disappeared right after dinner and have been working since. It’s not healthy.”

“Oh really now?” Clarice must have just showered, because she smelt so good. Responsibility had never seemed so unimportant as it did now. He did reach out this time, catching her thin wrist in his large hand, pulling her even closer. A moment of weakness. It was a light tug on her wrist but she came anyway, smiling coyly. “And what's my medicine, doctor?”

“Me of course,” Clarice petted his head softly, before pushing away again. “And a few plans, now put these on.”

John pulled at the grey sweatpants she’d tossed onto his head, staring at them bewilderedly. The face he was making must have been hilarious because Clarice was biting her lip hard to keep from laughing. 

“What’s wrong with my jeans?”

“Nothing, soldier, nothing at all,” she eyed him up and down slowly, the hint of a smile curling at the edge of her lips. “But they’re not exactly suitable for what I have in mind. Now put them on and stop arguing. The longer you take, the less time you have for your reports.” Her words were accompanied with a huge dramatic eye roll. 

John’s chest swelled and tightened, and a lump grew in his throat. Her presence had been a godsend to him. The weight of leadership was not his to shoulder alone. And yet he felt a heavy burden. He had been chosen. People looked up to him, more so than the other leaders of the station, Lord know why. And he felt the weight of that respect, that need, with every person who walked through those doors.

Clarice reminded him to step away from his work. To give himself five minutes, ten minutes, for himself, to take a breather. “Without you functioning at full capacity, it doesn’t matter what happens to any one of us. We need you at your best, and you will not be at your best if you don’t take care of yourself,” the finger she jabbed into his chest had barely registered but he’d winced for theatrical effect. And for her benefit. “Or if I don’t take care of you.”

“Alright, you win,” he conceded with a nod. “Alright.” The chair squeaked as he stood to his feet. With a furrowed brow, he realised that Clarice had also changed into a hoodie and sweatpants and was barefoot even. “I feel like I’m about to be punk'd.” Something was definitely up.

It was almost like he could hear her roll her eyes again. Her foot tapped impatiently on the floor, “Lets go, soldier, got a schedule to keep to.”

John made to unbuckle his belt and paused mid-way, “Are you gonna turn around or should I turn around? I don't really know what's going on.” He could barely hide the grin on his face as Clarice made no movement. In fact, she crossed her arms, leaned back against his table and eyed him predatorily.

“You do what you want, Proudstar. I’m staying right here for the show.”

Without any further ado, John shucked his jeans and pulled the sweatpants on. Pretty sure Clarice had snuck into his closet to take these out. But he wasn't complaining, they felt amazing after a day of stress.

“Shoes too.”

He kicked off his boots, spread his arms and waited, “I’m ready. For what, I don’t know. But I'm ready.”

The familiar crackle of energy filled the air as Clarice tore at the air between them. The portal grew larger until it was large enough for him to step through. What the hell, he'd already come this far. Clarice obviously had planned something. The papers were already left on his desk. Who cares.

Jumping through, John felt the night breeze blow through his hair. Clarice had opened the portal slightly above ground so he had stepped directly onto the open back area of his truck, parked on the outskirts of the safehouse perimeter. The truck wobbled as Clarice jumped through behind him, the portal snapping shut behind them. She squeaked slightly as her toes made contact with the cool metal, and immediately leapt to stand on his toes instead. John laughed, catching her around the waist.

Prior planning had definitely been done.

Clarice dug around the boxes stashed in the back until she located the blankets with a triumphant yell and a throw that she spread out. Now the bare feet made sense. She pulled him down onto the makeshift nest, throwing another one of the blankets over them and tucking herself under his warm arm.

“Mission accomplished,” she sighed happily.

John shifted under her, getting his back into a more comfortable position against the backrack and tucking the blanket more securely around her. The wind wasn't really affecting him but he knew she got cold. She was too thin.

“You’re warm enough,” she commented, watching him fuss over her.

Not bothering with a response, John pulled her closer, pressing his lips to her hair. He closed his eyes, wondering again what he did to deserve her. She hummed contentedly.

“How long have you been planning this?”

“Just since a few hours ago. You needed a break, I needed a date night. You needed some loving, I needed some loving. It all works out.”

“Nice night for it too,” John looked up at the night sky, speckled with stars and barely covered with clouds. His hands tightened around her, rubbing at her arms through her hoodie.

Clarice tilted her head upwards to press a kiss to his jaw, “Maybe someone’s looking out for us after all.”

That awoke something in him, that he'd buried down under layers of responsibility and worry for days. The truck creaked under them as John turned on his side, pressing her closer to him. Purple hair twisted around his fingers as he wrapped his hand around her jaw. John slanted his lips over hers, smiling at the small sigh that escaped her as he finally touched his lips to hers. The kiss was sweet, slow, and he poured out his rising feelings of emotion and affection into it, kissing her deeper. "I've missed you," he mumbled, biting gently at her bottom lip. Their legs tangled together as Clarice smiled into the kiss. Her hands came up to clutch at his shirt, anchoring herself to him.

“Mm, we’re supposed to be looking at the stars. It's part of the date plan.”

John peppered light kisses across her eye, the marks that had formed progressively as she explored her powers, listening to her giggle as his breath ticked her skin. “I already am.”

“Cheeseball.”

In retaliation, John sucked a bruising kiss into her neck, leaving Clarice to swallow her following words with a small choked sound. Well then, two could play at that game. She tucked her thigh between his legs, pressing up higher. This was her goal of the night after all.

He placed his hand under her leg to hitch it up around his waist, and looked up in mild amusement as his fingers touched bare skin. "When did you kick your sweatpants off?"

"Earlier, when we were kissing," she wiggled her eyebrows. "I'm very efficient."

"Now I see why I couldn't wear my jeans. The mechanics would have been a lot harder."

Clarice hummed her assent, pulling him down to kiss him again. Clarice could feel her skin running hotter wherever John touched her. And she knew that he was feeling the same way because of the goosebumps her fingers left in their wake on his arms. The weight of him between her thighs was leaving her heady and impatient. Damn, it had really been too long since they were last together like this. Opening her mouth, Clarice shuddered as his tongue curled around hers. She could kiss him for ages.

She slipped her hands under his shirt, roaming higher, tracing his skin. His skin was blazing to the touch. Her blunt nails scratched down his chest and he nearly broke the kiss to groan into her mouth. She wondered if she could pull it off but her train of thought was interrupted as John began tugging at the zipper of her hoodie.

Clarice struggled to get her hands out from his shirt so she could help him. She wanted his hands on her. But he abandoned it halfway down her chest and began licking at the skin between her breasts instead. She settled for clutching at longish strands of his hair, pulling whenever it felt good. She liked his hair long.

"No bra too?" He murmured, dragging at the hoodie to further bare her torso for him.

She laughed breathily, shimmying to help him and gasping as he teased a nipple with his teeth, "I told you. I'm efficient."

"I'm not complaining," John palmed her other breast with his hand, causing her to arch her back further into him. 

John pulled back after he'd left a particularly large love bite under her breast, pleased with himself. Clarice had thrown an arm over her eyes but peeked out now. T was getting cold now that she wasn't covered by him, and she was kinda underdressed for the weather. But overdressed for their activities. She would have said something but in a swift movement, she landed on her front with a yelp. 

The blanket nearly slipped off but it didn't matter because in a second, the full weight of him covered her again. Clarice had a stray thought that breathing was far too difficult at this point as John's hand made its way down her front, seeking out that sensitive space between her thighs.

She wanted John’s hands on her. It had been too long and too difficult to get some alone time in a place that was crammed full of so many people with jut way too many abilities that were suited for spy work. 

“I'm so efficient, and you're being slow,” she whined. "And you're still wearing all your clothes."

“I like undressing you,” his voice was muffled by her neck. "Like kissing you all over too." The hoodie was pulled down again, baring her to her waist. Clarice buried her head in her forearms. John bracketed her shoulders with his arms, trying to shield her from the cold but Clarice's skin was too on fire from his mouth to care about the weather right now. 

She shuddered as he finally slipped a finger into her, curling it. Finally. Her hips bucked, asking for more. John added another, mouthing at her neck, his tongue leaving burning trails across her skin. A strangled noise left him as Clarice raised her hips again, pressing back into his groin.

There was some shuffling, and Clarice looked back to see him kicking off his sweatpants as well. "Slowpoke."

"What matters is how we end," John kissed her on the nose. "And I intend to end well."

"I would too if you'd - ," her sentence cut off in a garbled moan as he twisted his fingers in her, smiling gently at the expression on her face.

Pitching forward, she bit into her forearm to muffle her noises as John removed his fingers, lifted his hips and pushed his way into her. Finally finally.

“Oh god,” Clarice's spine bowed at the sensation of John moving in her, fingers scrabbling for purchase to get into a better position. A sharp pain lanced through her as John sank his teeth into her shoulder, but it faded into more pleasure as she felt John licking at the mark he'd left. "Harder. Yes."

His arm wrapped around her waist, tugging her hips up for him. John thrust back in, smothering his groans amidst her bare skin. They quickly got into a rhythm. It may have been awhile, but this was a familiar dance that they'd done before. And they were always in sync with each other. 

Clarice's head was still in her arms but John pulled her up onto her forearms again with an arm around her chest. "Come on, I want to hear you." Fingers pinched at her nipple and she keened.

"John," she breathed. He loved it when she said his name in that voice. The voice that he was sure no one else would hear, that tone, that emotion. "John, please." 

He gripped her chin hard, twisting her up and him down to kiss her, swallowing the little whines and moans she was making as he moved faster. The truck creaked louder. Clarice put her hand back and around John's neck, pulling him down to kiss him deeper and dirtier. She wanted him, always. He was the first one to make her feel safe after prison. To make her feel wanted. She still couldn't believe that he loved her. And would probably never will.

The best thing was that he would always convince her of it. 

Clarice pulled out of the kiss with a gasp. Jolts of pleasure shot through her body as his hand on her clit sent her over the edge. She fell again onto her arms, quivering. Belatedly, she realised that John was murmuring to her in his native language. She still didn't understand it, but John had told her once what 'I love you' was and the feeling of warmth spread through her body again. She shook, the lingering sensations of her orgasm spreading and she felt John thrust once more, twice into her before groaning and folding over her body to catch his breath. 

Pressing another kiss to the bite mark on her shoulder, John pulled out slowly. Both of them moaned quietly, bodies shaking at the movement. He turned her over, stroking a finger down her cheek. 

"Hey."

"Hey, you. You're back," she whispered sleepily. She looked down, foggily registering that it was funny having only a hoodie on, barely zipped, and around her waist. She shivered, and John pulled the blanket tighter around her from where it'd fallen.

"Thanks to you."

"I can't believe you've still got your shirt on," she pulled at it, offended. Her chest heaved. She was still catching her breath. The movement distracted John and he dropped another kiss to the swell of her chest. Pillowing his head on her, he let her stroke at his hair. He wrapped his arms around her, clutching her close. Again, he marvelled that she was with him.

"I'll take it off next time."

"Next time?" He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Next time."

He'd really needed this break. And Clarice.

Definitely more Clarice than the break.

But he wasn't going to tell her that. Maybe next time.

**Author's Note:**

> i just i love thunderblink so much and i have to wait until january for more episodes? writing fic is how i cope, send other ideas my way if you have any.
> 
> tumblr: [here](http://ltfrankcastle.tumblr.com)  
> twitter: [here](http://twitter.com/ltfrankcastie)


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